Laser cutting of plastic. The most accurate technology for cutting plexiglas, plastic, plywood

Methods of processing materials are regularly improved, each year offering an improvement of a particular indicator or a fundamental change in technology. In this sense, laser cutting methods can be attributed to the most promising and progressive. This group of cutting technologies has many advantages, but it also has some limitations. So, if in the work with solid materials with such methods mechanical means can compete, the laser cutting of plastic, cardboard, plexiglass and plywood sheets practically has no analogues in terms of the quality of the products obtained.

Advantages of laser processing

With the help of laser cutting it is difficult to cope with stone or metal, while maintaining a high level of accuracy. However, easily deformable materials allow maximizing the advantages of this method. For example, laser cutting of acrylic can be made with a minimum tolerance of cutting and increased detail in its direction. The very same accuracy can be found at 25 microns, which can not be achieved with traditional means of mechanical cutting. Another thing is that much depends on the material itself. But even hard woods with cardboard or plexiglas are optimal for fast laser engraving.

In addition to the advantages that are expressed directly in the properties of the resulting product, it is worth emphasizing and indirect benefits. High speed, which is realized laser cutting of plastic, allows you to work effectively with large batches of orders. And this is not to mention the minimization of waste from the base material, which also determines the economic advantages of the method.

The essence of technology

Invasion of the material structure for the purpose of cutting is done by feeding a laser beam through a special optic. The work process is also accompanied by the support of special mixtures - air and gas. For example, compressed air flows perform two tasks - they clean the same optical lenses and in some cases relieve the work area of overheating. Gases in the form of nitrogen and oxygen are involved in the activation of the cutting process and at the same time do not allow ignition.

In some way, combined laser cutting of plastic and allows you to achieve the above advantages by using a minimum of resources. Compared with abrasive or plasma processing, lasers do not just use less consumables, but they are not as demanding in technical terms. True, this does not apply to technological support, since the level of hardware and software stuffing in the equipment used is often an order of magnitude higher.

Technical support

Special laser cutting machines are used for laser cutting. Typical equipment of this kind includes a working platform, moving workpiece control mechanisms, an operator panel, communication lines and security systems. In terms of capacity, laser cutting equipment can require from 3 to 10 kW on average, which is a good indicator against the background of other machines working in serial production formats.

Cutting is carried out with the help of active optics with lenses, the function of which is supplemented by a nozzle supplying auxiliary mixtures. An important feature of this type of laser equipment is the possibility of high-precision correction of the cutting positioner, the deviation in which can reach no more than 3 microns in advanced installations.

Additional options for machine tools

Models of machines with numerical programmable control (CNC) show the greatest success in using laser cutting. Designers manage to organically associate the function of optical elements with software systems. Modern packages of optional equipment of machines allow performing automatic processing, video surveillance over the working area, compensating for possible distortions without manual intervention, and efficiently developing template nesting formats using special programs.

At the same time there is laser cutting, the CNC which allows you to make adjustments to the workflow based on the effects of external factors. That is, the machine is equipped with a set of sensors that monitor the characteristics of the air environment, sending the optical head or nozzle corresponding signals with correction commands. These are the most advanced and complex developments that are used primarily by large companies.

Where is laser cutting plastic used?

The range of application areas of the technology is quite wide. On the one hand, high-precision cutting of plastics, wood, plexiglas and other pliable materials is successfully used in construction when creating finishing coatings with small patterns and patterns.

But the basic sphere nevertheless concerns production of advertising and souvenir production. Small format laser cutting and engraving, in particular, allows you to get accurate and small-sized key fobs, badges and various accessories with almost jewelry on the surfaces.

Use technology in the textile industry. In this niche factories master this method for the purpose of performing complex stamping, lace and contours on fabrics, leather and other materials.

Conclusion

It rarely happens that new technologies are in all respects better than traditional methods of solving certain problems. The disadvantage of this method is the lack of the ability to cope with solid metal with the same efficiency. But for those who require laser cutting of acrylic, plastic and wooden materials, the minuses are almost imperceptible. Of course, the devices with programmable control can deliver certain troubles in the process of operation, but the active inclusion of automatic systems simplifies the ergonomic nuances of the production process. Along with this, the structural basis that allows to get rid of special mechanisms for fixing blanks is being improved.